'We Figured The Plane Crashed': Coloradan Counts Blessings After United Flight 328 Engine Explodes Overhead
BROOMFIELD, Colo. (CBS4) - Some say they feel blessed to be alive after a Boeing 777 engine exploded above their Broomfield neighborhoods sending debris of all sizes and shapes plummeting below. While most debris was insulation from United Airlines flight 328, some large pieces like an engine cowling smashed into property, crushing portions of vehicles and homes.
Witnesses told CBS4 they knew something bad was happening when a loud sound echoed from the sky, followed by the sound of metal objects raining from above.
"I heard a really loud pop," Elizabeth, a witness, said. "I thought, 'This plane should not be flying this low.'"
Kirby Klements and his wife were sitting in their home reading the newspapers and finishing lunch when the explosion happened above.
"We hear this big bang, and we just kind of looked at each other, and next we heard another big bang, and we looked out our front window right as the engine cowl rolled into the tree," Klements told CBS4's Dillon Thomas. "I knew right away that was the front end of an engine."
The front piece of the engine had fallen from the sky intact. The large metal ring crashed into Klements' truck, destroying his vehicle.
"There's not much left of the cabin of my truck," Klements said.
He said he assumed the worst for the flight from Denver to Hawaii.
"I came outside, and it was raining all these pieces of honeycomb insulation down," Klements said. "We figured the plane had crashed."
Those walking near, and around, Commons Park ran for shelter as debris fell from above. Video from witnesses showed everything from insulation slowly drifting to the ground to heavy metal pipes crashed in to the cement.
One home's roof was punctured after a part of the aircraft fell from the sky.
Miraculously nobody was injured on the ground or in the aircraft.
"At any given moment, a part from the plane could have fallen on me," Elizabeth said.
Law enforcement taped off a significantly large scene as debris peppered the community. The aircraft flew more than 21 miles back to Denver International Airport following the explosion, meaning portions of the engine could be scattered across the entire Denver metro area.
The NTSB took over the investigation. Klements counts his blessings.
"Ten feet more, it would have landed right on top of my wife and I," Klements said. "I'm really thankful that nobody got hurt."
The flight crew on the United aircraft were applauded as heroes for safely landing the plane.
For those who sustained damage from this incident, they are asked to fill out this form on United Airlines website.
Claimants are asked to:
- Select "Concern"
- Select "Personal Injury"
- Enter flight details (United #328)
- Include incident details
- Include additional documentation/pictures/descriptions